Ever since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched the election campaign with the motto “reconquering Istanbul,” it has been clear that the real competition in the upcoming March 31 local elections will be for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Now, with almost a week left until the election, this race is neck and neck. It is
Since the May 2023 election defeat, Türkiye’s main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has grappled with internal conflicts that have taken a toll on the party. However, in addition to this, an unprecedented situation has emerged in Turkish politics: the CHP, not President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), appears to
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Jan. 6 in Istanbul as a part of his week-long diplomatic tour amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The high-level meeting attended by Fidan, National Intelligence
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on January 3 that 56 suspects under Red Bulletin and Urgent Apprehension warrants by Interpol were captured in Türkiye in a massive police operation in 11 provinces. Yerlikaya said in his “X” message that the wanted people were citizens of the USA, Germany, Azerbaijan, UAE, Belarus, Morocco, Palestine, India,
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) changed its leader at a highly contested November 4 congress, and delegates elected young Parliamentary Group Chair Özgür Özel to replace Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who refused to resign despite his failure in the presidential and parliamentary elections that took place in May. The 49-year-old pharmacist challenged the 13-year-old Kılıçdaroğlu-chairmanship
The main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu announced that he will re-run for the mayoralty chair for the megacity in the 2024 local elections. “I am once again starting off to take Istanbul,” İmamoğlu said on August 15 at a press conference in Istanbul. “I am taking a risk;
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu spoke harshly about the terror inspection initiated by the Interior Ministry against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, defining the inspection as “conspiracy.” Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group on Jan. 3, Kılıçdaroğlu said that if the government appoints a trustee, the main opposition will consider the situation
The leaders of the six opposition parties that have formed an alliance against President Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming elections marked the start of their election campaign on December 15 with a large rally in Istanbul in support of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. After the mega city’s mayor was sentenced to prison and faced
The İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was sentenced to 2 years 7 months in prison over false insult charges, and he was barred from engaging political activities in a clearly political case on December 14. As I say it was political, the aim was not only to remove İmamoğlu from politics or eliminate a strong
The main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was sentenced to 2 years in prison for insulting state officials, in a contentious court case on December 14. İstanbul court sentenced İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu for 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days in prison for “insulting public officials working as committee,” and